The 2012 Tour de France and Olympic time trial champion beat a host of other well-known figures to lead the men’s website’s Top 49 Most Influential list.

In second place is Apple designer Sir Jonathan Ive, with singer Plan B – real name Ben Drew – in third. Other sportsmen in the top ten are Andy Murray in sixth and Mo Farah in ninth. Last year’s list was topped by Prince William.

According to AskMen.com, 10,000 men aged between 18-40 were requested to pick out the most influential man of the last 12 months, taking into account their ‘achievements, profile and status’. It’s the seventh year that the poll has taken place.

Since Wiggins’ Tour de France success, his status in the public eye has risen dramatically with his gold-medal-winning performance in the London 2012 Olympic Games time trial sparking full-blown ‘Wiggo fever’.

Aside from his sporting achievements, Wiggins is also well known for his sense of style – influenced by Mod culture – his out-of-the-ordinary, often humorous press conferences, and his distinctive sideburns. No one in the history of the Tour de France has ever stood on the podium after winning the prestigious Grand Tour and said “I’m going to draw the raffle tickets now”.

Earlier this week it was announced that Wiggins had recorded a BBC 6 Music radio show with his music idol Paul Weller. The show will be aired over the Christmas period.

Bookmakers William Hill and Ladbrokes currently have Wiggins as front runner for taking the 2012 BBC Sports Personality of the Year award, which was scooped last year by Mark Cavendish after he won the Tour de France green jersey and world road race title.

On the AskMen.com website it says 500,000 voted, not 10,000 – even more impressive!!

guest

Good result for Wiggo, there. I hope he enjoys it, because I fear the BBC SPOTY is going to that scotch lad or a golfist.

Mike

@Henry.
It would be nice if Brad was still super motivated, I agree, but the fact that a cyclist, and cycling, is being noticed at all by the mainstream can only be good for both the sport and cyclists in general.

jimmy the fish

Anybody who is brainless enough to fill in’on-line’ polls should be shot at dawn….what are these people 3 years of age? Wiggins seems to have a bit about him, must be embarrased by the whole ridiculous farrago

Henry

Being the United Kingdom’s “most influential man” will count for nothing on the start line of the 2013 Tour. Or any other race for that matter. It will be interesting to see if Mr Wiggins can sustain the motivation to train in such a way that he can play an influential part on the racing scene next year.

Ric

Just hope he has quietly declined a knighthood and so avoided being set up as a front by an Establishment that uses the honors system largely to reward themselves and their political friends and donors.

Terry

Pinch me someone, Bradley Wiggins (and British Cycling) zero to hero in less than 6 months ??
Perhaps we can get him to do a ‘Green Cross Code’ ad for car drivers to wake up to cyclists ?
Maybe he can do the same for the cycling nutters who insist on putting their lives at risk at red lights and weaving unseen through heavy traffic?

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